


Almost Noble

by completelyhopeless



Category: DCU, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M, Gen, Unrequited Love, two circus birds universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-05
Updated: 2015-02-05
Packaged: 2018-03-10 13:58:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3292946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/completelyhopeless/pseuds/completelyhopeless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint calls Dick on what seems to be a bad habit he shares with Bruce.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Almost Noble

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shanachie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanachie/gifts).



> In among the prompts (the first list, actually) was one for the circus birds universe where Clint teased Dick about being a player. This isn't really funny, but this is what that brought to mind.
> 
> All my other updates were taking too long, so I wrote this bit down, finally, and got it out of my system.

* * *

“You know, of all the habits of Bruce's that you could have picked up, I think this one is kind of the worst,” Clint said, and Dick frowned until his friend passed over the society page, pointing to the obnoxious blurb under the picture. _Like father, like son._ “That's the third new girl you've been with since I've been in town. I never would have figured you for a player, but I guess I was wrong.”

Dick shoved the paper away from him, reaching for his beer and swallowing it down, wishing it was something a whole hell of a lot stronger. “I'm not trying to imitate Bruce. We are too alike in too many ways—the _wrong_ ways.”

Clint nodded, leaning back in his chair. “Like I said, not the habit you wanted to pick up from him.”

“What I have in common with Bruce is fighting crime, being a vigilante, detective skills, leadership and strategic thinking. This...” Dick let out a breath. “You know me, Clint. You know that I have been in love with Babs for most of my life. I'm not dating a new girl every night because I feel like they can just be discarded without another thought or because I have no respect for women. I'm just... trying to find someone who makes me think I could get over Babs. That's why it never goes past one or two dates. I haven't met anyone yet who makes me think that.”

“Damn.” Clint let out a breath. “Really, no one?”

Dick closed his eyes. “I know there are some that want to be that one, and there's some that I tried to believe could do it, could help me get over her, that I could really love, but I was lying to myself. I couldn't ever give them that part of my heart that's hers, and if I let things go on between me and someone else... I would just have broken her heart. It's better not to let it go that far.”

“That's almost noble.”

Dick rubbed his head. “Not sure that's the right word for it. I was thinking more... pathetic.”

“Nah. I gotta say noble because you have been since we were kids,” Clint said. He shook his head. “Though it _could_ just be an excuse. Using Babs as a reason not to get involved with anyone else the way that Bruce uses Batman as a way not to be human—”

“I'm human,” Dick interrupted. “We both know I'm human, both know how many mistakes I've made. I just... I don't want to make the one that gets someone else hurt. Those women deserve better than being with a man who can't love them the way they should be loved.”

“See? Noble.”

“Being noble sucks,” Dick muttered. “Let's go find something to shoot.”


End file.
